Oh no there isn’t. You need to get on the blower and start booking this very minute — especially if you’re keen to go in peak season. As travellers get ever savvier, the hottest hotels book up faster than you can say “keep up with the Joneses”. Right now, more organised people than you are scouring the net, phoning up and down the Riviera, getting their neat little mitts on the star hotel that should be all yours.
We’ve saved you the scouring, so you’ve got a chance against the early-booking anoraks. Here’s our 2006 selection box of the hotels that all Europe lusts after — and which tend to be booked solid for the peak period well before the winter months are over. Book now, and you can start planning for the perfect summer, instead of just dreaming.
Unless otherwise stated, all package prices are per person for one week in August, based on two sharing and including flights from London. For departures from UK regional airports or Ireland, ask the operator
GRAND HOTEL DE CALA ROSSA
Porto-Vecchio, Corsica
What makes it special? In August, French mainlanders descend on Corsica like locusts, and this is one of their prime targets — so much so that the tour operator Simply Travel reckons it’s a struggle to obtain a decent allocation of rooms for British clients. The hotel is Relais & Châteaux posh and set on a pearly-white, pine-fringed private beach. It has a Michelin-starred restaurant, a fitness centre with sauna, Turkish bath and mini spa, tennis, squash, bicycles — and its own 35ft yacht for day hire. Children are welcome (baby-listening, baby-sitting and early suppers are laid on), but don’t expect a price reduction for junior.
Still in with a chance? It’s a long shot. At the time of going to press, Simply Travel had only one room left during August; otherwise, you could try booking direct.
The bill: £1,929, B&B, with Simply Travel (0870 405 5005, www.simplytravel.co.uk). See for yourself: www.hotel-calarossa.com.
HOTEL ROYAL RIVIERA
Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France
What makes it special? This is a Côte d’Azur classic, and Brits and Frenchies alike clamour to get a room in August. The hotel is a gorgeous-looking belle-époque affair on the Cap Ferrat peninsula and has recently been treated to a modern but muted style makeover by Grace Leo-Andrieu (she of the Montalembert in Paris). It’s elegant, refined and right on the sea, with a private beach (popular with families) and a large pool in its park-like, palm-planted grounds. The Royal Riviera is just a five-minute walk from Beaulieu’s railway station — assuming you can find a porter to wheel over your nest of Louis Vuittons — or a 30-minute cab ride from Nice airport.
Still in with a chance? There are still rooms in all categories available in August, but the limited number of suites and junior suites is going fast, despite the high prices.
The bill: £1,298, B&B, for a mountain-view room, with French Expressions (020 7433 2640, www.expressionsholidays. co.uk), including car hire. A sea or garden view increases the price by £588pp. See for yourself: www.royal-riviera.com.
HOLIDAY VILLAGE VIVA
C’an Picafort, Mallorca
What makes it special? The Viva is First Choice’s number-one seller, mainly because it offers plenty to do for those without plenty to spend. Built by the tour operator, it has clubs for children aged 12 months to 15 years, and a full programme of activities, including football schools and discos for the kids, and sports and entertainment for the grown-ups. The apartments all come with kitchenettes, although there are plenty of reasonably priced restaurants nearby. The beach is just half a mile from the village. And just look at the prices below . . . it’s a steal.
Still in with a chance? It’s going like a train. “Families need to move fast for August, although weeks outside the school holidays are fine,” says the operator.
The bill: from £439 per adult and £205 per child sharing a one-bedroom apartment, with First Choice (0870 850 3938, www.firstchoice.co.uk). All-inclusive accommodation is also available.
See for yourself: www.firstchoice.co.uk.
VILA VITA PARC
Algarve, Portugal
What makes it special? Large, but spread out among beautiful gardens, the Vila Vita Parc is one of only a handful of five-star seaside properties
that cater fully, and in August almost exclusively, for families. Children aged six months and up can go to the crèche, those aged 4-12 to Annabella’s Kids Park, and anyone up to 19 to the Teens Club — thus untethering their parents for a full roster of activities, from watersports to wellness therapies. Then, of course, there’s golf: pitch-and-putt and a driving range on site, with house pros, and easy access to the Algarve’s many courses. The hotel overlooks a safe, sandy beach and has several restaurants and pools, with a choice of accommodation. The Oasis Parc and Vista Parc apartments, with family suites sleeping up to six, are the really hot sellers.
Still in with a chance? It’s tight if you’re after one of the family rooms for August, no matter whether it’s a garden or sea view, and junior suites with sea views are also becoming scarce. The bill: £5,776, B&B, for a family of four (£1,496 per adult, £1,392 per child aged 2-12) sharing a family suite with a sea view in the Oasis Parc, with Harlequin (01708 850300, www.harlequinholidays.com).
See for yourself: www.vilavitaparc.com.
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THE ZIRMERHOF
Radein, Italy
What makes it special? Who’d have thought that a wonky-beamed old farmhouse in the Trentino Dolomites would have them queueing round the block? Everyone who goes to the Zirmerhof not only raves about it, but tends to book for the following year as they check out. The hotel stands 4,920ft above sea level — “in nature, with nature” — and it’s a big hit with walkers. Run by the charming Sepp Perwanger and family, it’s a cosy place, and its biggest pull is a frescoed restaurant with great views
and cooking to match — based on old family recipes and sourced from the estate or other local farms. It also has a rather jolly Stube (bar).
Still in with a chance? With the Feast of the Assumption — when the whole of Italy will be on holiday — taking place on August 15, the Zirmerhof is booking up even faster than usual. The Perwangers are adding a new pool for this year, which has hiked up demand for rooms even further. If you want less than a week, forget it. In fact, only if you can travel Saturday to Saturday would you be considered a contender.
The bill: £746, half-board, with Inntravel (01653 617906, www.inntravel.co.uk), including car hire.
See for yourself: www.zirmerhof.it.
HOTEL SANTA CATERINA
Amalfi, Italy
What makes it special? The Santa Caterina could sell its 62 rooms thrice over during August, despite the five-star rates. The location is magnificent: the hotel cascades down the side of a cliff in a series of terraces draped with bougainvillea, lemons and oranges, like king-size hanging baskets.
There’s a glass-fronted lift to carry you down to the sea and the pool; and the service is impeccable, dispensed by men in tailcoats with spectacles at the end of their noses. The whole place has a sense of occasion. Patronised by big names (the Clintons among them), the Santa Caterina is also a favourite with honeymooners, especially those who can afford the Casa degli Sposi, set apart from the main hotel.
Still in with a chance? There’s space here and there, for example from August 1-10 and from August 19 onwards; otherwise, you’ll need to upgrade to a sea-view room with balcony, an extra.£43pp per night.
The bill: from £1,245, B&B, with Citalia (0870 909 7554, www.citalia.com).
See for yourself: www.hotelsantacaterina.it.
LE SIRENUSE
Positano, Italy
What makes it special? Overlooking the majolica-tiled dome of Positano’s church and a tumble of pretty rooftops, Le Sirenuse is one of a triangle of hot hotels (with Quisisana on Capri, and the Palazzo Sasso in Ravello) that are popular with quietly rich Americans doing the Amalfi rounds. It began life as the summer home of the Sersale family from Naples, who turned it into a hotel in 1951 and still run it today. It’s all terribly splendid. The rooms are beautifully decorated, with Vietri tiles and discreet designer touches, and filled with the Sersales’ antique heirlooms and paintings. It retains a family feel, despite not allowing kids under nine, and has 62 cool white bedrooms: nearly all have sea views, and many have balconies dripping with flowers. It also has a pool (one of just three in Positano), a designer spa and a good seafood restaurant.
Still in with a chance? You probably have another month to procrastinate before they hang up the No Vacancy sign.
The bill: £1,642, B&B, or £2,230 for a sea view, with CV Travel (0870 062 3415, www.cvtravel.co.uk).
See for yourself: www.sirenuse.it.
FORTE VILLAGE
Sardinia
What makes it special? Think Center Parcs, crank up the level of sophistication by several degrees, inject plenty of Italian spumante and a thalassotherapy spa favoured by national footie squads, and you’ll begin to get the picture. Affluent British families love Forte Village’s combination of grown-up sporting activities and abundant kids’ stuff, from a crèche for the under-2s to clubs for teenagers. Set in 50 acres and fronting a beach of fine white sand, it is one of the Med’s most popular family-fun playgrounds: everything you and the kids could need is right here, with the result that many guests never leave the complex between check-in and check-out.
Still in with a chance? The bungalows sleeping four are all but gone for August, so if you don’t act fast, you might need to spend more for family comforts, especially in Villa del Parco or Le Dune.
The bill: £1,495, half-board, in a family bungalow room, with Magic of Italy (0870 888 0220, www.magicofitaly.co.uk). There’s no discount for the first child; the second travels free.
See for yourself: www.fortevillage.it.
HOTEL EXCELSIOR
Dubrovnik, Croatia
What makes it special? Given the Excelsior’s size, you’d be forgiven for expecting bags of availability, but the runaway success of Dubrovnik, coupled with big seasonal demand from the Italians, who only come out to play in August, means that its 146 rooms will soon be spoken for. The hotel is right on the water, just a stroll from the city walls, with inspiring views of both the ancient harbour and the island of Lokrum. One drawback, though: its “beach” is a white stone and concrete bathing platform — fine for a dip, but not great for lounging on. Then again, if beaches are your thing, you won’t be coming to Croatia in the first place. The service is old-world traditional — it’s the sort of place where the barman remembers your favourite tipple and the maître d’ knows whether you prefer your breakfast on the terrace or within. The new spa is likely to fuel demand still further.
Still in with a chance? The pressure’s on, especially because the French have suddenly discovered Dubrovnik and are flying in from nine airports.
The bill: from £739, B&B, with Holiday Options (0870 420 8372, www.holidayoptions.co.uk).
See for yourself: www.hotel-excelsior.hr.
HOTEL ROMVI
Tolon, Greece
What makes it special? The 15-room Romvi, in the Peloponnese, is a simple, friendly place in a superb location, right on the beach (safe and gently shelving, so ideal for kids) at the “old village” end of town. It’s also brilliant value. To top it off, the restaurant offers excellent home cooking — don’t expect to make the short walk to Tolon’s tavernas too often. Aside from spending time on the beach, you can avail yourself of a range of boat trips, watersports and classical sites within easy striking distance, including Epidaurus, where plays are still performed in the ancient theatre.
Still in with a chance? There’s just one family suite left for the first two weeks of August, and only four rooms for the week beginning August 13,
but there are quite a few from the 20th onwards.
The bill: £510, B&B, with Sunvil Greece (020 8758 4758, www.sunvil.co.uk).
See for yourself: www.hotel-romvi.gr.
OYSTER RESIDENCES
Oludeniz, Turkey
What makes it special? Everything: the location, tucked among trees and just across the promenade from the sandy beach; the 28 individually decorated rooms, filled with handcrafted furnishings; the warmly welcoming owners, Gunsenin and Mehmet; the lounge overlooking the sea; and, for child-weary adults, the clincher — no kids are allowed.The hotel’s four new garden terrace rooms each have a whirlpool bath, a CD/DVD player, large plasma-screen TV and a decked terrace with Turkish-style sofas.
Still in with a chance: hardly any of the garden terrace rooms are left (many were bagged last year by those who saw them in the making), but standard rooms are still available.
The bill: £665, B&B (or £693 for a garden terrace room), with Sovereign (0870 366 1626, www.sovereign.com).
See for yourself: www.oysterresidences.com.
